Snippets
by wotcher98
Summary: Werewolf Professor Remus Lupin and Metamorphmagus Auror Nymphadora Tonks when mixed together, creates an excellent recipe of perfect romance. Series of snippets from their life. RLNT.
1. Wardrobe

_This chapter is set post-HBP_

_I do not own Harry potter_

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WARDROBE

Her wardrobe is a _hotch potch_, jumble of colors.

If one will see from far away it will look like a glass filled with multi-colored sand. There were all colors : green, red, fuchsia, pink, orange, yellow, black, white, teal, lavender, purple, royal blue, brown.

There are assortment of clothes : Formal Shirt, weird sisters t-shirt, jeans both new and ripped, trousers, skirts of all types, dresses which he thinks would show more skin than they will cover, all sort of sexy underwears which he often wonders if they even hide anything, both muggle and wizard clothing.

Whereas his clothes mostly grey and brown, sit quietly in corner, as if looking in awe (i.e, if clothes could see) what they were doing in the sea of rainbow. His clothes look oddly out of place yet fitting with her's, at the same time.

Despite of wide array of clothes, whenever they have to visit any party or dinner, she rummages through her wardrobe for hours, complaining _'I don't have anything to wear.'_ and yet ends up wearing her default settings - Weird sisters t-shirt and ripped jeans. He couldn't quiet grasp the concept of having thousands of different clothes yet wearing the same ones again and again.

She takes about two hours to get ready, in which for 1 hour 45 minutes she decides or _tries to_ decide what to wear. The actual _'dressing'_ or _'getting ready'_ is done only in 10-15 minutes. He often sits at bed and just watches her, wearing nothing but bra and knickers, admiring the view and his fortune, rummaging all the stuff, throwing clothes here and there, all the while pouting and making faces at the rejected clothes.

He wonders if this is a typical _woman-trait_ or a _Tonks-trait_. But then again, he often feels thankful for her ignorance, of her casual wear, because he is sure the day she thinks of getting all dolled up, every man in London will drool on their shoes for her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

But to him, she is beautiful in any state, with or _without_ clothes. Yet he manages not to look smug faced, when she laces her fingers with his and leans her head on his shoulders or kisses him for the world to see.

They both are like her wardrobe. He lightens her brightness so that other people don't go blind, and she brightens up his world, so that he is not lost in the darkness.

_They complete each other._


	2. Full Moon

_Set post-HBP_

_I do not own Harry Potter_

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FULL MOON

He is particularly irritated and snappish on the day leading to full moon. He grows anxious, restless with every passing second. Knowing what will come, and he won't be able to do anything to stop it, pecks on his nerves. Therefore, he often loses his calm and is recurrently short with her.

Tonks is dead clumsy and he is mostly exceedingly gentle and accepting about her quirk. But because of full moon grouchiness, even a small noise or commotion makes him twitch. He couldn't stop himself from snapping at her.

He had been sitting on the table, feeling sorry for himself and waiting for moon, even though hours are left for moon rise, when she enters and promptly stumbles upon a chair. He winces at the noise. Normally, he would have have asked her if she was alright but now he only bites his tongues from giving some scathing remark. She places the kettle on the counter a little too loudly and the noise keeps reverberating in his head. He is losing his calm but she is oblivious. Third time when she breaks a mug it is too much for him. He snaps.

"Can't you for once in your _bloody_ life, learn to work without breaking anything? There's a man here trying to have some calm and rest, but it's horribly necessary for _you_ to nag him." he shouts at her, pushes his chair a little too enthusiastically, causing it to tumble on floor and goes in to their bedroom and slams the door shut as loudly as he can.

This is the fifth time in the day he had spoken to her like that. She is trying for_ his_ sake to contain, she understands his state. And just after 10 seconds he is feeling horribly guilty. She is his new bride, for Merlin's sake and it's no way to treat her.

He comes out from his room and finds her standing in the kitchen in the same position he left her. His words have hurt her, he knows, though she won't say anything. He walks quietly and hugs her from behind, snaking his arms around her waist, kissing her neck apologetically and dropping his forehead on her shoulder in silent apology. He also knows this is not for the first time. It would keep happening every month.

He knows she has accepted his apology when she covers his arms with her's, their wedding bands lightly clinks with each other, she pulls herself more snugly and leans into him.

They don't need words.


	3. Full Moon (2)

_Set Post-HBP_

_I do not own Harry Potter_

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FULL MOON (2)

She hates when he is so logical and reasonable because it generally means unfulfillment of her wishes.

He has taken his wolfsbane regularly this week and is perfectly harmless this full moon. She requests him to let her stay with him, because, really, she hates the idea of him being alone and cold when he have a perfectly capable Auror wife to be with him, to take care of him.

But instead of downright refusing the prospect this time, he takes a different approach to placate her. He says even though he has taken wolfsbane, and will be in his own mind, accidents can occur. He asks her to assume that they are together and he yawns or howls or anything which involves him opening his mouth and if she chooses that moment to stumble (as she is dead clumsy) in a way that her hand lands in to his mouth and he snaps it close at the exact moment, accidentally of course, she will still get the bite.

She wants to fault his logic by saying that she won't be clumsy, which she knows is impossible because she manages to be a klutz even in her sleep. Seeing her sulk, he suggests a tad smugly, that she can stay with him if she agrees to rope his snout together. The death glare she sends towards him (which she would have accompanied with a middle finger if he was not her husband) is enough to shut his _human_ mouth.

When he sees that she is genuinely upset because of it (and he can't see her upset, no matter what), he hugs her snugly in to his side, kisses her cheek and temple comfortingly, and makes a suggestion.

Later that evening, Remus is transformed and is on the other side of the room, which is prepared for him, and she is on the another side. The difference is that he had charmed the iron door transparent such that she could see him and he could see her, and even their voices can be carried through the door.

So she sits on the floor, next to the door, her cheek resting on the iron of the door which is now invisible, while he on the other sides is curled up and looking at her lovingly through his wolfish eyes. She talks and their conversation is oddly one sided. He in a moment of affection licks the transparent door in a way that if there had been not a barrier, his lick would have landed on her cheek. She longingly strokes the door wishing she could actually touch him.

Later when she grows sleepy, she curls up on the floor to which his werewolf husband objects by whimpering. She rolls her eyes and conjures a mattress next to the door to sleep on. He gives her a wolfish grin and curls as close as he can with the door in between. This time _she_ frowns and waves her wand such that a mattress appears beneath him. It would last about 12 hours, which is sufficient. He expresses his gratitude by again licking the door which she readily accepts by pressing her own lips of the door.

_They don't need words._


	4. Invisibility Cloak

_Set during OoTP_

_I do not own Harry Potter_

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INVISIBILITY CLOAK

He always secretly rejoices when she is paired with him on missions or task for the Order. He doesn't quite know if it's due to Molly's and Sirius's matchmaking or because they simply make a good team.

Though he is happy to accompany her on any mission, but missions which require invisibility cloak are his personal favorites. Though they are both capable of performing disillusionment charm, and his disillusionment charm almost makes him invisible, for some reason they chose to use invisibility cloak. He thinks that this is the only way he could be _obscenely_ close to her, under the pretense of being sneaky, without raising suspicions about his feelings for her that have been blooming ever since he met her.

The surroundings have always been rough, sometimes it is a dingy alleyway, sometimes behind bushes on an uneven ground or sometimes simply a cold floor. Yet with her, all this seems insignificant. All he can feel is her breath on his cheeks whenever she leans to whisper something in to his ear, or the way she props her chin on his shoulder to adjust into the cloak or the way there hands touches igniting sparks in his heart.

Once on a guard duty, they had encountered a Death Eater, though the Death Eater couldn't see them, they had to maintain dead silence. He had to pull her back flush against his chest, his arms had snaked through her waist, and his cheek had rested against her and she had leaned into him, all under the sham of stealth. He was sure she could feel his heartbeat but she would have probably thought that it was because of looming danger.

He had spent few minutes, after the danger had passed, in daze. All he could remember was feel of her body next to him, the soft feel of her pink hairs on his cheeks, the way she smelt, they way she had held him even tighter and had buried her face in the crook of his neck. That was all he remembered. He was left intoxicated by her proximity. He had cherished that feel, that memory for months.

Sadly, he knew this was probably most close he could be with her without labeling himself as perv. After all why a girl like Tonks will be interested in him?

_Little did he knew, how wrong he was._

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_A/N: Hello everyone. I would like to thank all the people who have reviewed, Favorited or followed this story._

_Here's a question I would like to ask the readers of this fanfic, what is you favorite endearment word? is it 'sweetheart' , 'love' , 'darling' , 'dear' , or any personal special one you have? Do tell me in your review :)_

_Also those who read my other fanfic 'Things that make you go aww' I would like to tell them, that I would be updating that one immediately after 19 of this month._

_Thank you :)_


	5. Kisses

_Post-HBP_

_I do not own Harry Potter (obviously!)_

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KISSES

His kisses have a routine. Though ever since they have got together or married he hardly needs any reason to kiss her, and he does, whenever they are alone, he hardly lets her go as if fearing that she would vanish if he lets her wander away from his eyes.

But there are times in a day, he makes sure to kiss her or show through gestures just how much she means to him. She suspects, it's one of the way to make up for all the time, he regrets wasting when he was away with werewolves and had pushed her away, and _as well as_ to make _her_ feel desirable because he knows how she had doubted herself that time, that she was not good enough for him; and he wants to clear away all her doubts. Though, she has long forgiven him, she thinks, he is yet to forgive _himself_ for making her feel undesirable.

Like whenever he wakes up first, she is always woken up by his kisses on her face. He pulls her out from her slumber deliciously by peppering her face and neck with little kisses. His stubble always create wonderful friction against her skin. Whenever she wakes up first, she never fails to notice, the way he is lying on his stomach and his palm is always splayed across her stomach in possessiveness or the way his face is buried in the crook of her neck. Her heart always flutters at his position.

He always makes sure to kiss her hand, on her knuckles whenever she makes something for him, even if it's simple tea or toast and butter. Once she had served him tea in Burrow, in front of almost half of the order, she had not expected him to, but he had kissed his thanks on knuckles in front of all of them. Of course, it wasn't a big deal. Couples do such things all the time, Bill and Fleur probably are best example of PDA. But this was _Remus Lupin_. A public display of affection from Remus, even a simple kiss on hand, meant to her more than secret kisses.

He always makes sure to kiss her on forehead just before he falls asleep in night. Whether they have made passionate love just before, or have done only cuddling, the last thing is always a kiss on her forehead, while holding her. She knows, that it symbolizes his respect for her. Now, she probably won't consider her day complete, if she doesn't receives a final kiss on her forehead.

He always kisses her goodbye on cheek and a chaste kiss on lips and if they are alone that chaste kiss converts into a full minute snog. Similarly, whenever he comes back, he places a comforting kiss on her temple.

His kisses are a part of her life now, without it her day feels incomplete, without it _she_ does not feel whole and adequate. Her days starts and ends with his kisses.

The night after Bill and Fleur's wedding, when he does not kisses her goodnight on forehead, she knows, something is about to go terribly wrong.

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_Hello everyone! once again I would like to ask what's your favorite endearment word?_

_**Guest, Mary, Mcaquabeast, Into The Vortex, Zillah, rockon88, Saraell, slenderpanda597** - Thank you all so much for your reviews :)  
_


	6. MOISTURE

_Set during HBP_

_Sweetness disguised in Angst!_

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MOISTURE

The moisture is ever present in her eyes, since the day he left for spying on werewolves. _Voluntarily_. So that her life is not spoiled under the influence of _his_ lycanthropy. He has seen the way her mother drifted from her own life and the way his father grew miser with every passing day. He doesn't wish such hardships on anyone, least on the person he loves _most_ in the world, _least on her._

But then if he was doing the right thing, why the hell does it feels _so wrong?_ He had wanted to ensure that she continues to live a peaceful life but why does her eyes tell him that she is going through the biggest turmoil of her life?

The eyes he had fallen so in love with have lost their sparkle. Her eyes scare him more than her loss of metamorphosing abilities, more than her change in Patronus, because her eyes are kind of... _Dead._

In the past six months he had seen her total for five times. Each time there encounter has ended in what one would call a disaster. It always begins with quiet, heart wrenching glances in each others' direction and somehow ends with a devastated look on her face. The moisture is present, always present in her eyes, as if her eyes are always brimming with tears whenever she sees him, but she does not let them fall, not in front of him anyway.

_Just like him_. In front of the world he may be calm and stoic Remus Lupin, but god knows how many sleepless nights he has spent in underground worrying about her, desiring about her that once, just once, if he could kiss her, he would die a happy man.

He had came to Burrow this time, he had not expected to see her but when he sets his eyes on her, the branch of guilt in his stomach blossoms into a tree. She is dull, pale, thinner, brown haired so unlike the Tonks he had fallen in love with but, Merlin, beautiful, _yet so very beautiful._

Her eyes grows wide, she bites her lower lip and she swallows, as if she wants nothing more than to throw her arms around him. God knows he wants that too.

Whole meeting, she is as quiet as hush of an evening. Try as he might, he can't stop looking at her because it's been so long, God so long since he had last seen her. But her eyes are always down cast.

After meeting he sees her, gathering her coat and walking towards the door without a backward glance. He tries to catch up to her but what he would do once he gets to her, he doesn't quite know.

But he is late. He sees her almost running towards the apparition point; he sees her wiping her face with back of her hand, her brown hairs flying behind her. She disapparates before he could blink, the sound that keeps reverberating in his head is not the crack of the disapparation but the sob he hears just before. He knows, that sound is going to haunt him for months.

She had once told him that she was most comfortable with him, but now his presence has become probably_ too painful_ for her.

Does he truly hold such power on a person? Or Will it be too egotistical of him to think that she is in this state because of him? If it's such a right thing to do then why he feels so suffocated like someone is pressing a pillow over his face, drawing away all the breath from his life?

_Probably just like he is drawing away all the life from her?_ James, Lily, Sirius all died in a heartbeat, but why he feels like as if she is dying every second in front of him, when she was supposed to be happy?

She has become everything he had wanted to save her from.

_She has become like him._

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_Reviews, please?_

_My thanks to - **Mcaquabeast, SilverBlueSky, ThisLoveHasNoCeiling and Pijy** for lovely reviews :)_


	7. Bliss

_During DH_

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BLISS

He often wakes up at nights to see her already awake and sitting in their bed, with a pained expression on her face, caressing her now eight months pregnant bump, trying to find some comfortable position to be in. She is very careful about not to wake him up. But it feels as if her pain tugs at his heart in his sleep which wakes him up, however sappy that sounds.

He too sits up with his back to the headboard and pulls her gently into his side by encircling his arms around her shoulder. She never gets startle by his sudden wakefulness. He silently asks the reason she is awake and she replies while burying her face into his neck; sometimes its backache or swollen feet or simply restlessness.

He in response strokes her back and tries to soothe away her pain, placing his other hand on swell of her stomach. Though he knows all her pain cannot be attributed to hormones. Loss of her father is still too fresh in her mind and the way people are being dropped by like flies only adds to the fears. It only emphasizes the horrible environment they are bringing their child in. He holds her while she cries for her lost father and he kisses top of her head trying to comfort her even though he feels extremely useless. He feels the most he can do is to stay awake with her and share her grief. Though how can he sleep when his wife is in torment?

She never escapes to tell him that she doesn't know what she would have done without him and how grateful she is for his _presence_ and _love_ and _comfort_. He tightens his hold on her and replies that there is no need to feel grateful because he is not doing any favor on her or because he feels obliged to do so but rather because he can never see her in any kind of pain, because seeing her in pain kills him a little every time.

He still shudders to think that he had tried to leave her and their unborn child. He knows that she is more than capable of taking care of herself and their child but he can't help but think that had he been not here then who would have held her hairs while she emptied her stomach or who would have taken it upon themselves to fulfill her odd carvings or who would have comforted her when news of her father's demise had arrived and she had seemed simply inconsolable?

She needs him just like he needs her.

He had hardly ever dreamt of getting married let alone getting a chance of being a father, therefore he rejoices in little moments like whenever he can feel their baby moving or the way a vibrant smile spreads on Dora's face whenever he tries to talk to the child while placing his lips near her stomach or whenever she talks endlessly about the future of their child or simply seeing at her, carrying his child looking all radiant and beautiful. _Most beautiful woman in the world._

At these moments it is easy to forget that a war is raging outside the protection of their house. He knows one thing though, that he at the moment is most blissful as one can be during war.

This is bliss._ In her arms._

He loves his little family. And more than that he loves this powerful, headstrong woman who never lost faith in their love, who fought with him to clear his insecurities and gave him greatest _joys_ of his life.

This is the first time in his life that he actually wants to live. He wants to survive the war and build a beautiful family with his wife and soon to be born child.

_First time in his life, he dares himself to dream._

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_Please review! :)_

_**Mcaquabeast**. I would love to update fast but reason I wait is that, well, I wait for reviews, which I hardly get sometimes :( but anyways, I will update soon again and wait to hear from you more. Also thanks to **loveislouder94.**_

_I would also like to ask from you all if there's a situation that you want a snippet to be written about?_


	8. Clumsy

_I did not planned on posting this here, I wrote it earlier as stand-alone one shot, but thought it might fit here_

_Post-HBP_

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CLUMSY

Sometimes, he thinks that he might survive battles, wars and Death Eaters but what will kill him in the end would be a heart attack, _or multiple heart attacks_, due to activities of, one Nymphadora Tonks Lupin.

She comes out from her room, on the way to her- _their_, kitchen with bounce in her hips and swagger that he had seen in her walk ever since they married a week ago. She smiles without any reason now, which is a welcome change, after all that she has gone through for a year due to his denial. He feels a bit satisfied that he does not only has ability to make her cry but also to make her smile.

Though, he was reading a book, she makes up much more interesting and affectionate sight than the book. Every time he looks at her, he learns something new about her. He could see her, standing in the kitchen twirling around with a small smile on her face, and he waited with amusement for some crash or thud.

She takes her wand in her hand and his amusement changes to alarm when she cries, a little_ too_ enthusiastically "_Accio_ knife. "

He goes rigid for a moment and he is sure that his heart stops. He reacts immediately when a sharp knife comes flying towards her. He himself forgets, that he has a wand and applies all his energy in the wandless magic. He points his palm towards the knife and shouts with all his might "FREEZE." All this happens in total two seconds.

The knife freezes in mid air, just two inches away directly from her heart. She too is rigid and he wonders if he has accidentally frozen her too. Then she blinks and turns her face slowly towards him, raising her eyebrows towards him as if he is the one who just almost accidentally killed himself.

"Are you out of your mind, Nymphadora?" he asks, wide eyed.

"What?" she replies absolutely nonchalantly as if it is a daily occurrence, which he suspects,_ must be_. He hurries towards her, and grabs the knife from mid-air, he performs a spell which removes all the bluntness from the knife. One would think he knows totally useless and ridiculous spells, but truth is when you have shared a dorm with James and Sirius for seven years, all such spells, such as spell for trimming one's nose hairs or washing one's face without actually touching water, comes handy.

He looks pointedly at her and says in his best stern voice he could muster, even though inside his heart is still thudding due to shock.

"Your _accios_ are even faster than a firebolt, what were you thinking summoning a _knife_ at such speed?"

"Well, this isn't first time, I always manage to catch it just on time and anyways, You are wizard, I am a witch, even if it hurts me, you could heal me in a sec." She replies a bit defensively.

"I wouldn't be able to heal you, if it would have directly passed through your heart Nymphadora-"

"Stop calling me Nymphadora-"

"From now on _Nymphadora,_ you will only use your wand and spells for slicing and cutting, no knife, mind you."

Her jaw drops in indignation and she sends a glare his way, hands on her hips. But before she could say anything he pulls her into a searing kiss, which leaves her breathless and his heart racing for entirely different reason this time.

"I m sorry Nymphadora, I don't mean to sound so patronizing, but please, if not for your sake, then for mine, please be careful in such matters, for _my_ health. Use knife, but please be careful." he kisses her forehead and says softly. "You will be death of me."

Her indignation flies at his care and she, though reluctantly, smiles.

He cradles her to his chest, he knows, she won't improve, and he also knows, that she has managed fine up till now without his intervention, but still he prays to Merlin, that let him, _her husband_, be always there to catch her whenever she is on the brink of a fall.

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_I wasn't sure about this one, but anyways..._

_And for those who have suggested me some situations, I will work on them and post sooner or later :)_

_Thank you for your reviews :)_


	9. Just Friends

_During OoTP_

_This is in Sirius' POV_

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JUST FRIENDS

Remus has always been afraid of being too open to people, always cautious of physical touch. It was very hard to find someone with whom he can feel utterly relaxed. He supposes it comes with being a werewolf, the way people frown upon him if he somehow manages to be in their proximity.

But, he has never seen Remus getting so comfortable with a person, never seen him getting so complacent and serene in their presence, _so quickly._

That too a woman.

That is to say Nymphadora Tonks. Never a female has warmed Moony's heart so fast and swiftly.

At Hogwarts, he was the last among the marauders to kiss a girl, which he is sure now, that had he and James not coaxed him to do so, it would have taken even more time. Remus hardly ever dated anybody, too worried about them finding out his problem.

But with Tonks, he could see, it was different. For starters she knew about Moony's problem, secondly she was very friendly with him.

But so is Molly or Emmeline or Hestia for that matter but he has never seen him _unintentionally_ invading their personal space. Or when Tonks invades _his_ personal space, he hardly fidgets.

It's like as if a magnet attracts Remus to Tonks and Tonks to Remus.

He wouldn't have noticed so much of them if they weren't _so obvious_ and it's not as if he has any other work to do, as he is holed up in this ugly house.

He had seen them once, working on some order notes, across each other in library. Tonks head was buried in her notebook and her pink hairs were fanned across her face. He had seen the way Moony had suddenly raised his hands without thinking and had tucked her hairs behind her ears, as if it was irritating him that he can't see her face. Then she had looked up into his eyes and Moony's hand had frozen mid air near her ears when he realized what he had done. But then Tonks had given him a shy smile, a smile that screamed _approval_ and Remus in turn had smiled and had lightly tapped her cheek with tips of his fingers and they both had returned to their works.

Remus is unaware, that his feelings are being reciprocated. He thinks that he is too unworthy of anyone's love, let alone that of a pretty young woman like Tonks.

Once, they both had been caught under the mistletoe at Christmas and Remus' action had spoke volume about his feelings, at least to him. Had it been any other woman, he would have politely kissed them on their cheek quickly and would have excused himself. But he had seen the way Moony had leaned towards Tonks, and his lips had landed dangerously close to her lips and he had not removed his lips quickly but had rather taken his sweet time, it had lingered more than it should have between _just friends._

He had pulled back flushing as if surprised from his own action. Sirius has never been so observant, but, hey, what can he do? It's not as if he has some actual constructive work to do.

Then once there was an incident where he was strolling conveniently through the corridors of Grimmauld place, drinking, and leisurely cursing his family when he had walked upon a scene which had made firewhisky flow through his nose.

Remus was sitting on sofa reading or may be _pretending_ to read and Tonks was sleeping, but what made him dumbstruck was that she had her _HEAD IN REMUS' LAP_.

Remus Lupin, Mr. disquiet - inquietude – restless, had a girls' sleeping pink head in his lap, and he seemed particularly _unfazed_. Infact he rather seemed to be enjoying himself, _very much_. A small smile graced his lips, of which (Sirius was sure) the book wasn't the source. He occasionally stroked her head and looked at her in awe with such tenderness which would have been sufficient to melt marshmallows, as if wondering that she considered him worthy enough to sleep on him.

There were so many little things that showed Moony's feeling towards Tonks. He never missed the opportunity to help her whenever she tripped, which sometimes Sirius thinks, she does intentionally. And whenever he does help, his hands seem to linger on her more than it is necessary. His face always lights up whenever he is paired with her for a mission. He always stays after dinner if Tonks is present and only goes to bed after seeing her off till the door. And if she isn't there, he would excuse himself from table as if no one would notice his absence.

How wrong he is!

Sirius also notices the way Remus goes rigid whenever anyone comments on Tonks' love life (comments such as when she plans on settling or if she is seeing someone). Though she always waves it off as insignificant, he never misses the array of emotions that flash through Remus' eyes- regret, sadness that she would never love someone like him, fury, envy for that faceless person.

Sometimes this agitates him. How blind can Remus be? How can he ignore what is clearly visible in Tonks' eyes?

But then, he suppose that Remus has been shunned so long that it would be hard to think that someone can _love_ him.

It is inevitable. It will happen. Just like '_James and Lily'_ happened. He thinks about talking to him, but Remus is not the same man. 14 years of loneliness has left a great impact on him. And does he, Sirius Black, who thought that Remus was the spy back then, and had ruined their lives in the process, have the right anymore?

He just hopes that Remus is able to see what is right in front of him and accepts it.

The sooner he understands that he and Tonks can never be _just friends_, the better.

It's war after all.

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_Thanks to - **Pan's Box, Saraell, xMessrRhiax, Momo Spock, Guest, Mcaquabeast** for lovely reviews. I will look forward for more :)_

_And sorry for grammatical mistakes :)_


	10. Possession

_Post HBP_

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POSSESSION

The sun rays filters through the curtains, piercing through his closed eyes, waking him from his sleep. He slowly opens his eyes and a smile stretches across his face, though he couldn't quite remember why. He just feels happy, though it's a great feat in his life because life has hardly provided him opportunities to be happy _without_ reason.

When smell of breakfast wafts through the air, he remembers. And his smile grows wider. He is not alone anymore. He has a _wife_. He is a _husband _now. Its third day of his new _married _life and his wife is probably making breakfast for him. He is still getting used to the concept.

Such a simple sentence is enough to make his heart race. There will always be a nagging worry behind his mind that he might have ruined her life but he couldn't hide his elation of marrying woman of his dreams.

Who would have thought Remus Lupin, unfortunate werewolf, battered and broken from life, would marry such beautiful, fierce, thoughtful and compassionate woman?

He certainly didn't.

He hops from his bed like a small child on Christmas eager to unwrap his presents. He searches for his shirt, but couldn't find it anywhere, which is understandable, seeing how clothes were thrown yesterday from each other's body in frenzy. He grabs his pajama bottoms, and walks out to greet his pretty wife.

When he sees her, the mystery of missing shirt is solved. She's standing there, with _only_ his shirt on, which reaches her mid thigh and neck of the shirt is dropping dangerously to one side.

She looks _positively adorable._

He engulfs her in a hug from behind, placing a kiss on her cheek as a greeting.

"Just because, you married me, does it mean that you can steal my shirt now?" he asks in a voice which is still husky with sleep and he nips lovingly at her jaw for good measure.

"If it makes you feel better, you can borrow my clothes." she giggles and a disturbing image of him in weird sisters t-shirt sprang into his mind.

"Hmm... oh, well I forgot, I will have to go the underground. During my stay there I encountered few, who were willing to help, I need to know if they will now." he says casually and she immediately goes rigid. He curses inwardly for his tactlessness.

She switches off the breakfasts and pulls away from him. "But Remus, it's not only dangerous, it's downright _stupid_, Greyback saw you there at Astronomy tower, and he'll kill you at first sight."

"Do you have so little faith on me? I can handle it." he says a little tersely.

"It's not about faith Remus, you will be outnumbered and you were there for about 10 months, if they were so willing to help, they would have come forward. And now when Dumbledore's gone, we need to be careful, there's no one to protect us. I don't' say that we should stop fighting, but without Albus, we now need to fight while laying low, it's dangerous times Remus, I don't want to lose you, when I have just found you." she says exasperatedly, despair clear on her face and he curses himself again for causing it to her in first place.

"I will be fine, Nymphadora, don't worry." he tries to placate her, but it has exact opposite effect. She throws the dusting cloth angrily on the table. Her despair converts into fury.

"Fine, go get yourself killed! Just when I think, that we have made a perfect little family together, you need to go into your _self-destructive mode_. Go ahead, it's not as if I have any say in your life." she is breathing heavily, with anger etched on her now red face. He chastises himself thinking how beautiful she is in her fierceness _at this moment_. She walks away from him, places her forehead on cool window glass. Slowly, fight leaves her shoulders.

Someone caring enough for him so as to be really perturbed by where he goes is really an alien notion to him. And he won't deny but it feels wonderful.

He walks behind her and tenderly tucks her hairs behind her ear.

"My Nymphadora, you have a say on _every_ breath of my life." he kisses her temple. "_You own me_." he whispers, which is true enough. A word from her, and he would willingly give his life for her.

A chuckle escapes her lips. "Flatterer."

"Not really, it's truth. And as for today, I will take Mad-eye with me, and it will be last trip to underground. Promise. I know how much you hate werewolves." he adds the last line teasingly and he receives a punch in chest for that.

"Yeah, I hate them so much, that I married one to especially torture him, right?" she hugs him and buries her face in crook of his neck.

"Pleasantly so. My dora..." he nuzzles her head and scoops her up in his arms and carries her towards the bedroom. "Come on, I can put our morning to better use than _eating breakfast_."

A giggle is her answer.

He never would have thought that someone could ever possess his life the way she does.

And he is glad.

Very.

* * *

_REVIEWS PLEASE? _

_Thanks to **remusdora, Momo Spock, Guest. **_

_**Mcaquabeast**- you are right, even I felt that there was a distinct lack of sirius-ness but I am not able to write him nicely. and as for weirdness- let it come!_

_**Vulpecula Hood**- since these are snippets so I am sort of open to both idea. But I don't have heart to write their death scene, but I might do an Au._

_ThANK You :)_


	11. Names

_Post HBP_

_I do not own Harry Potter_

* * *

**_NAMES_**

Her professorial husband, is up and about, and reading that shit some people call newspaper and eating his toast. She tries to sneak upon him by walking quietly and encircling her arms around his neck.

But noooo... He won't get startled! Damn werewolf senses.

"Good morning." he murmurs in a voice which is wonderful soft music to her ears. It gets sometimes creepy that how just his hoarse & husky voice sends pleasant shivers down her spine.

She puts her mouth to better use than speaking. There are better ways to wish good morning. She starts kissing his soft skin behind his ears and trails a path down up to corner of his lips, while enjoying his stubble and rough cheek in mid way.

"Nymphadoraa.."

_Nymphadora._ Again that blasted name! Time for a pay-back. She leaves her ministrations and smiles cheekily at the disappointment on his face.

"Yes _Remy-poo_." she says as innocently as she can and plops next to him on the sofa.

The effect is instantaneous. He promptly chokes on his toast.

"What did you say?" he asks in voice which is very cautious, as if wishing that he has heard wrong.

"I said _Remy-poo_. Liked it? Or I can make it even better. What about _Remy-poochie-poo_? Imagine, when at next meeting, I will call you by this name, whole Order will know that how much you are loved by your wife."

He shudders dramatically and pales a bit.

"Please, Oh, _please_, call me Remus."

"Aha!" she pokes him in the ribs for emphasis. "So, now do you understand my plight? How I feel when you call me Nymphadora?"

"But, that's your name!" he adds indignantly.

"My name is Tonks!" she insists stubbornly."

"That's your surname, Love, your name on your birth certificate is Nymphadora Tonks and you are registered at Hogwarts as Nymphadora Tonks."

"Alright then, keep calling me that _N-word_, and you never know when I will end up calling you Remy-poo or something equally _sweet_." the word 'sweet' drips in syrup of sarcasm.

He smiles at her pout, delicately folds his newspaper and places away the toast. He pulls her on his lap and ruffles her head affectionately.

"Call me Remy-poo-" he shudders "And I will come up with something equally crass."

"Like what?" she raises her left eyebrow in challenge.

He raises his right eyebrow, meeting up to her challenge. "Like... _Snoogypuss_? _Baby-Bugga-Boo_?"

She huffs.

Then she goes for other tactic. She morphs her nails bigger and leans into him suggestively. She rakes her nails on one side of his neck while her lips follow the same path on other side of his neck, which she knows, he finds irresistible.

"Please, Remus? Call me Tonks?" she whispers enticingly.

He makes a choking sound and reluctantly pulls away from her, only to return the favor to _her_ neck.

"Lets' make a deal" he breathes into her neck, then looks into her eyes.

"Ever since I have fallen in love with you, two years ago, or you can say, when I _realized_ I was in love with you, I took a habit of addressing you as _Dora_ in my mind. Even if I used to call you by Nymphadora or Tonks, in my heart you were _always_ Dora." his voice grows uncharacteristically tender as if remembering something beautiful. "It was my fantasy, and fantasy because, I never thought it would come true. Anyways, I avoided Tonks because, it was my fantasy to make you a Lupin, by marriage of course." he traces her bottom lip with his index finger. "You made my fantasy come true. So, how about I call you Dora and you call me Remus? Think you can manage that?"

She smiles softly. It's at these lovable moments that her heart goes out for him.

"If you keep telling me such sweet stories of your love for me, I think I will agree to _anything_."

"Really?" he asks mischievously. "That sounds promising. Woudn't miss the opportunity."

* * *

_Review please? _

_Thank you **Pan's Box**, for pointing out the mistakes, I corrected them right away. :)_

_Also thanks to **CanonCannon, Mcaquabeast, Momo Spock, remusdora.**_


	12. The First Meeting

_Post- GOF_

_This one was specially requested by **remusdora**, so here it is!_

* * *

_THE FIRST MEETING_

When he met her for the first time, he had seen at the floor and had thought _what is it_, rather than _who is it_. He had been standing at the top of the stairs, and was looking intently at something neon pink. Sirius had sneaked behind him and had commented that _weren't doxies, dead house elf heads and screaming portraits enough that now we have a flamingo on the loose?_

He had ignored the jab and had replied that it is the Auror, Alastor was bringing, because he had seen her getting up and below that achingly bright hairs was a pretty heart shaped face with dark twinkling eyes. Sirius had straightened up visibly and had stared at her from their position and his thoughts were - _Exactly_.

They all had thought that Mad-eye being Mad-eye, would be bringing some old, eccentric, disciplined and overly paranoid colleague, instead of a pretty young witch.

Later, when all were sitting at the meeting, he had learned her name - _Nymphadora Tonks_, which she had adamantly said to ignore the first part because it was _just Tonks_. He had later found himself alone, silently rolling off her name from his tongue, experimentally: _Nym-pha-dorrrr-a_.

He was amused to say the least. With her bright hairs, equally bright and tight t-shirt and patched jeans that were a sharp contrast from her pale, soft skin. But then he had reminded himself that outer appearance could be deceiving, and who would know _that_, better than himself? Hadn't he wanted in his entire life, for people to judge on who he was rather than on his shabby appearance or what he was?

True, may be from her outlook she appeared too fun-loving and flippant to join the Order but _Alastor Moody_ had _vouched_ for her, greatest Auror of his time. Surely, there must be more to her than her appearance? She had chosen to be here, fight against the evil, when others of her age were probably partying somewhere and were ignorant to the impending doom.

And then the meeting had started, she had listened intently, with a little frown between her eyebrows, and had given feedback too, despite being the newcomer and had not shied away. He had found himself staring at her, more than he cared to admit.

Then after the meeting she had met his eye for a fleeting moment with a vibrant grin and his heart had skipped a beat. She had shaken his hand with uncommon strength.

Later when Molly had asked her and Kingsley to stay for dinner, she had agreed happily so. Her smile had never faltered for a moment despite being in a group so odd and new to her. Everyone had re-introduced themselves, and he had told her about his condition rather uneasily. But never once she had flinched. She had smiled brightly and had even joked that he had found himself a new _shape-shifter_ friend. When he had shown his confusion, she had changed her hairs to bright red.

How true it was, that below that fun-loving and joyful Tonks was a gentle and caring Nymphadora. She was intelligent, strong, fierce and compassionate. The reason how he had gone from _amused_ to _impressed_ to _seriously_ _smitten_.

Today, exactly after one year and two months, when he looks up to her, there is no trace of Tonks he had known. A lot has changed. Sirius and Emmeline are no longer present at the meeting. He had realized that his unrequited love is not unrequited after all. The jovial Tonks had changed to a morose, extremely somber woman- a shadow of her former self.

But one thing that remains unchanged is that he still can't seem to take his eyes off her, though he tries to be discreet.

Another thing that had remained consistent is his love for her. If anything, it has increased even more.

* * *

_Reviews?_

_Thanks to those who reviewed, favorited or followed the story last time._


	13. The New Beginning

_During DH_

_When Remus returns; suggested by **SilverBlueSky**._

_I do not own Harry Potter._

* * *

**_THE NEW BEGINNING_**

_Thoughtless._

That's what he has been. Hastily deciding that his wife and child were better off without him, without thinking about the implications, he had fled. Abandoned the woman he loved, when she needed him the most.

_Coward_. That's what he was. Harry was right.

Now, standing in front of her, he can clearly see the pain he has caused her. It's all written on her beautiful face. Pain, not because he had made her an outcast but because he is a husband with _mistaken sense of nobility_ (as she says) who deserted her, just when things got difficult.

Sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, he had drowned himself in alcohol and had fumed for hours when he had finally realized that no child is better off without his father. Even after he was bitten, his _own_ father had stayed by his side instead of abandoning him.

The realization had struck him like a lightning.

He had performed a sobering charm on himself and had ran off to Tonks' home, to bring his wife back, to beg for forgiveness. When they told him that Tonks had not come to live with her parents, to begin with, he had felt the ground beneath him shatter. The last they had seen her was on night of Bill's wedding. It had been _four_ days.

He had hastily excused himself, with his heart in his throat, by saying that it was some misunderstanding and Tonks was probably waiting from him at their home. He had wanted to be honest with them, but that moment, all he could think about was her safety.

When he had reached the place he shared with Tonks and found that the place was empty, he was scared out of his wits. _Where was she?_ In between Ministry and Bellatrix, _where was she?_

Then something had made him climb the roof of his ram-shackled home and then he had almost fainted with relief. There she was sitting on a conjured chair, with her legs hugging to her chest and staring off in the space.

Now, as he stands in front of her, she looks almost broken. Staring at him with such sadness, that he had never wanted to see on her vibrant face again.

_"Where the hell have you been? I have been worried sick!"_

The words, surprisingly, comes from _his_ mouth, they are harsh and whispered but relief is evident in his eyes. But as the words escape from his mouth, he realizes the hypocrisy of them.

_He_ was the one who had left and _she_ was the one who was clueless, not knowing if her husband was even alive.

Shame colors his face; he buries his face in her neck to hide it and embraces her like a dying man would want to embrace life.

She doesn't respond.

She pulls away and plops on the chair. Her silence is scaring him. She is _never_ silent. She shouts, yells, proclaims or exclaims but she is never silent. Had he finally robbed her of her personality?

He kneels in front of her, between her knees, takes her hands in his and pleads for forgiveness and asks teary eyed, for another chance. The first thing she says breaks his heart thousand times.

_"As a wife I can forgive my husband for hurting me, but how do I forget the person who tried to cause despair to my child?"_

He tries to say that _it's my child too_, but his throat is clogged. He instead hugs her waist and buries his face in her stomach, where their child resides. He swears on their child that come what may, he won't leave her again willingly, but it all comes out muffled between his sobs, that he is not even sure that she heard him.

* * *

Tonks is shocked to say the least. She has never seen him losing control in this way. Not when Sirius died, or when Dumbledore was killed. She is sure that he must have cried, must have grieved, but never in presence of other. She thinks it's probably first time he had broken down in company, showing this reserved side of his, which is so _private_. She should feel glad that he is finally opening up to her to lose all his inhibitions but she can't. Because her heart is breaking, seeing him like this. When he had left, she had promised herself that when he returns, she would make sure to slap him across the face, but right now she couldn't even bring herself to swat him. Deep down she knows, that his behavior has hurt _him_ _more_, than it has hurt her, now that he had comprehended that she is not better off without him. She knows that inside, guilt must be gnawing at him. She is torn between wrapping her arms around him and let him grovel for even thinking to leave her. But at the end, her gentle side wins.

* * *

Remus feels her arms snaking around his shoulders and her cheek on his head. She soothes him by saying that everything will be alright. He registers dimly that it should be _him_ comforting her, not the other way round.

He pulls away and looks into her now wet eyes. He cups her face and kisses every inch of face while muttering multiple _'never again'_ and _'love you'._

She tells him that it would take some time to forgive him completely but she is glad that he is back with _his family_. He is more than happy to oblige to do everything in his power to have her trust back.

When he picks her up, she smiles at him lovingly and for a moment everything is fine.

The wizarding world is entering its darkest time and hell is breaking loose but for _them, _it's the new beginning.

And he is determined to not mess it up, this time.

He is, indeed, back with his family. Only place where he belongs.

* * *

_Thanks to **Pan's Box, NymphadoracallmeTonks, remusdora. **_

_**IronLOTRgurl**- sure I'll do it soon :)_


	14. POSSESSIVE

_During OoTP_

_I do not own Harry Potter_

* * *

**_POSSESSIVE_**

Remus and Sirius both had been sitting in the Old, dusty library of Grimmauld Place, and were playing wizard chess, something he had not done since his seventh year and as for Sirius, well, dementors don't make the best of chess players.

They weren't exactly _playing_, more like, demolishing the rules, as they hardly remembered which piece moved which way.

They hear footsteps, just when Sirius was adamant on proving that bishop can leap over other pieces to move. He asks Sirius if anyone was due to headquarters. He shakes his head and makes his bishop leap over other pieces, anyway.

Just when he was thinking that what he had got himself into, a pair of pretty flat sandals comes into his periphery. When he looks up to see the face, he double checks.

Its Nymphadora Tonks standing in a pretty, _tiny_ black dress, with chocolate brown hairs that reaches her shoulders. Her dress hugs her tantalizingly and the color of dress complements her glowing pale skin wonderfully.

She looks _breathtaking_ and he forgets to breathe.

She smiles sweetly at them and breaks him out of his reverie.

"Wotcher Sirius! Wotcher Remus!" was it his imagination or did she spoke his name more tenderly than Sirius'?

"Can you give these to Bill please-" she puts forward a file "I would have given him it myself, but I am going out tonight so-"

He doesn't hear the rest of her words because after listening _'going out tonight'_ his exhilaration of getting to see _this_ version of Tonks turns into something ugly.

There is a horrible sinking feeling in his chest that he has not felt since _ages_.

So, has Tonks finally found someone to go out with? Has the time come when he would have to endure the agony of watching his _only_ love, falling into love with another person?

He was a realist and he knew his feelings could never be returned; her friendship was the most he could ask for.

Yet, he wasn't able to _not_ fall in love with her. Loving her came as easily as breathing. He would think about her when he was alone or at nights, he would savor her memories and would immediately feel light at heart. Now, he couldn't imagine his life without her presence in it.

How can he pretend that he was happy about her going out with other person when something cold was gripping his heart?

This time he has difficulty breathing for entirely different reason.

He swallows the lump in his throat and words escape his mouth before he could rethink.

"Where are you going?" his words are harsh and he feels angry, even though he know it's not his place to be so. Right now, all he wants to do is clutch her and never let go, to take her away from prying eyes of other men.

For a moment her smile falters but then there's a gleam of _something_ in her eyes and she smiles back in full swing.

"One of my friend, she's a muggle, it's her hen party, and I have to attend that, hence the muggle attire." she says pointing towards her hairs and dress.

Immediately the knot in his stomach loosens and he hopes that his relief is not evident on his face. When she starts to turn away, he calls out for her with a much lighter heart.

When she looks at him expectantly he almost hesitantly says, "You... You look nice."

She blushes prettily and mumbles a shy thanks and unlike her walks out of the room, without tripping. He keeps looking at the door, she had just walked away from, when Sirius' comment brings him back to present.

"Possessive, are we?"

Remus stares wistfully at chest board and whispers dejectedly mostly to himself.

"She's not mine, to be possessive over."

* * *

If anyone would have been present outside the library, they would have noticed Nymphadora Tonks' wide smile, bouncy steps and happy mutterings of _'he was jealous' 'he was jealous'..._

* * *

_Review PLease! I need some motivation..._

_Thank you for reading :)_


	15. Edward Remus Teddy Lupin

_DH_

_As suggested by **Hermione Is My Role Model. **_

* * *

**EDWARD REMUS "TEDDY" LUPIN**

Birth of a baby is something; one can never truly appreciate until they themselves experience it firsthand.

Dora going into labor was something he had been _both_ dreading and eagerly waiting for. Eager to meet his son or daughter and dreading because if something did go wrong, he won't even be able to take her to hospital in such environment.

When she did go into labor, it seemed to last _forever_. She was in pain; _so much_ pain that he thought it was almost unfair. He wished there was some way he could share her pain or ease it. He was accustomed to pain, but even his transformations were over in ten minutes, but this has been going for _hours_.

She clenches her teeth, squeezes her eyes shut but tears drip from them, she crushes his hand and cries out, every time pain consumes her. She is sweaty and exhausted and he feels helpless. All he can do it mop her face and whisper sweet encouragements. He can see the gratitude in her eyes, gratitude that he is here sitting by her side and feeling her pain, mentally, if not physically.

Then the moment finally arrives. He sees as his baby is pulled out, and he marvels at- _at this_- whole birth giving process, at flexibility of a woman's body, at how a tiny cluster of cells slowly grows into a baby in mother's womb and ultimately is ready to enter the world.

When his son is finally placed on Dora's chest by Molly, after Andromeda helps her prop a bit on pillows, all he can do is gape. He is stunned.

Oh Merlin, he is _so tiny_, so small, rosy cheeked, his little lips wobble, and he has tiny _so bitsy_ fingers and even smaller fingernails that his eyes grow misty with the sheer perfection of him.

He had helped in creation of such a lovely being. He, _Remus Lupin_ whom people consider tainted and impure has created something _so pure._

He looks at his wife and his love for her grows tenfold. He gingerly engulfs his new family into protection of his arms as if to save this newfound happiness from all the evils in the world.

Dora is wearied and tears are flowing freely from her eyes but she is practically _glowing_ that it feels as if he and his son are basking in her glow.

_His son._

He can't decide whom to look at. At his boy, who is so soft, his fragile skin invites his finger's touch. His hand shakes when he reaches out for him, tenderly touching his cheek which is so delicate that he feels as if he is touching air. He looks at the pads of his fingers, which are rough and he frowns at them as if they might harm his son's skin. He shakily leans forward to kiss his forehead, he inhales his scent and feels an overwhelming sense of joy and love. He smells like birth and something a mixture between his and Dora's scent.

He is instantly in love with him.

When he kisses his cheek, his lips seem to sink into his skin and his heart soars with surge of protectiveness when he looks at him with his tiny eyes.

He then looks at his wife who is astounded in incoherent amazement and Merlin knows she had never looked more beautiful. She meets his eyes and he leans forward and kisses lightly on her lips, he rests his forehead on side of his face such that their eyelashes intertwine and he no longer keeps his tears in check. He doesn't want to speak a word, fearing that he might break the beautiful aura that has settled around them. He thanks her in his heart, thanks her _so much_, that he is blessed with such a day. He knows that she knows.

Somebody asks, Molly or Andromeda, he doesn't quite know, if they have thought of a name and Dora replies in tiniest of whispers that it is to be _Edward Remus Lupin_, will be known as _'Ted'_ or _'Teddy'_, as they have decided earlier.

Remus feels honored to share his name with something so beautiful. He now understands why parents would do almost _anything_ for their child. Such is the power of a newborn.

Molly's _'oh dear'_ drives his attention to her only to see her attention fixed on Teddy's head. He looks at him and gasps softly. The tiny tuft of black hairs has changed to sandy brown, like his. As if saying, _Hello Dad._

_Dad. He is a dad._

"He's like you." Remus says to his wife, but what he mean is that not only he is a metamorphmagus like her but that he _really_ looks like her, his nose and lips are ditto copy of Dora's, which he traces with his index fingers and their son squirms as if it tickles.

She contradicts him and informs him, without removing her eyes from Teddy, that he looks just like his father and that she is proud of his son and her new family.

At this moment if someone were to say that he was a monster, he would have laughed at them. There was no chance in hell that a monster would be bestowed with someone so pure.

He is the happiest man alive and he has the best family in the world.

His happiness is almost tangible.

* * *

_Teddy's name is in accordance to what J.k.R said at pottermore and as on HP wiki._


	16. Family

_AU_

_Teddy is three years old_

* * *

**_FAMILY_**

She tries opening her eyes but they feel heavy and crusty. Every part of her body is in dull pain and feels immovable. What's happened? Where's she?

Just as she's pondering, she realizes that there is some weight resting upon her chest. But the weight is not suffocating... It's... Comforting and warm.

Suddenly all comes rushing back to her. She remembers the last time she was conscious when she had consumed some tea, on duty and had abruptly felt sharp pain all over her body and she had started bleeding all over the place. Just before she had lost consciousness, people around her were muttering something about poisoned tea.

She's probably in St. Mungo's.

With sheer will power, she forces her eyes open.

The room is dull and dim, is the first thing she notices. Second thing she notices is a familiar mixture of grey and brown hairs very close to her cheek. She inhales and is rewarded with her favorite scent, of her husband. Immediately the panic in her heart loosens. She is safe. Remus is there.

His face is buried in her neck. When she shakily raises her hand and lightly brushes his hairs, his neck snaps up with a click.

He looks awful. That's the word. She hasn't seen him looking so dreadful since the end of war. His face is pale and eyes, which are bloodshot, are filled with overwhelming worry and fear. He stares intensely at her and she senses a battle raging behind those soulful eyes.

"Oh Dora." he exhales a shuddering breath, with relief evident in his eyes. He traces her face with his fingers as if assuring himself that she's indeed there. _"Oh Merlin..."_ his voice is oddly constricted.

He leans forward and places his lips on her forehead and she feels his adam's apple bob as he swallows. The way he inhales her scent and takes deep breaths indicates he's trying to compose himself. At last he looks at her again, with pursed lips as if, if he said a word, he would lose control. But his eyes say more than the words could.

_He has missed her._

"I was so scared." and he finally gives her a smile which is full of relief only to immediately frown. He asks in a flurry how is she feeling, should he call a healer. She tries to placate him by saying the only person she needs right now is _him_, when she suddenly remembers the other person who is equally important to her.

"Teddy!" she exclaims and tries to get up, only to lay back down again when a sharp pain shoots up her spine. She winces at the pain and Remus grimaces at her discomfort.

"He's here too, Dora." her husband looks over his shoulder, at the corner of the room where she now notices, their son sitting forlorn on a stool.

"Teddy? Come here son, Mum is awake."

At being addressed Teddy immediately rushes to his parents, with grace that his mother lacks, and his father places him in his lap.

"Mum?" Teddy says with doleful expression and touches her face with his little hand. He looks at her with such emotion that she feels a sudden tightness in her throat. She just nods her head eagerly.

Remus lowers his chin lightly on their son's shoulder, and they both look at her with such tenderness and love that her eyes well up. Remus' eyes shine with unshed tears and though Teddy's eyes are brimming with tears, he doesn't let them fall. He's too much like his father.

It's one of those moments that define one's family. _This_ is what she has been fighting for. They are her strength and her heart swells with pride and admiration.

Remus catches her hand and brings it to their lips such that both father and son each place a kiss on her palm. She feels an overwhelming happiness at their gesture.

She asks in hushed tones to Teddy, if he has been taking care of his dad. Teddy replies in a sincere tone that dad hasn't been eating, he has hardly left her bedside and that he won't even let him stay here with him at nights. Remus frowns lovingly at his son and complains to her in return that Teddy hasn't been eating too and that he won't sleep without his mother at home.

She looks torn between adoration and amusement, at her _men_, at her _boys_, and assures her son that she soon will be home and everything will be fine.

Remus suddenly grows solemn and fixes her with a sorrowful stare and says in a constricted voice. "Nymphadora... I- I thought I would lose you! Sometimes, I hate your job, I really do. I thought after fighting wars and battles, I would lose you over _bloody_ tea!"

She understands his worry. Just like she worries about him at every full moon, he worries about her every time she's off to an overnight mission. Whenever she crawls into bed in the dead of the night, she would _always_ find him awake. He would envelope her in his arms and would try not to show that he was relieved to see her back but would fail miserably. He always asserts that he's unable to sleep until he knows that she's back home safe.

_"Bloody tea!"_ Teddy repeats, which earns a little chuckle from her lips and a wince from Remus and the atmosphere grows a little lighter. He's picked up annoying habit of picking swear words his father speaks accidently.

They talk a little more, Remus avoids topic of her poisoning in front to Teddy. Soon Teddy's eyes starts to droop and he looks apologetically at her. He says he would drop Teddy to her Gran's and would come back to her. She knows he won't listen if she told him to stay at home, so she doesn't tries.

He scoops a half-sleeping Teddy in his arms and leans forward, placing a lingering kiss on her lips and forehead.

"Glad you are fine, Dora."

She's glad too. Because, really, she hasn't fought war and battles to lose _them_ over _bloody_ tea!

* * *

_A/N: I don't know how this chapter came about so I would really appreciate your views._

_Thanks to those who took time and reviewed._


	17. Late Night Conversations

_Post- HBP_

* * *

_**LATE NIGHT CONVERSATIONS**_

These are his favorite moments, when they just lay next to each other at nights, waiting for sleep to take over and simply loving each other. Sometimes she would snuggle into him such that not an inch of gap would be left between them, sometimes he would bury his face in her neck or sometimes they would be a little apart just holding hands. Cool and silky sheets above their hot bodies would feel as luxury. They would kiss each other lazily, nuzzle, touch, caress and talk endlessly.

Talk about everything and nothing in particular; from philosophical ramblings to poetic murmurings. He would tell her how lovely she smells and she would tell him how soft his brown and gray hairs are under her fingers. She would ask him questions- right from simple queries to somber ones, and he would answer them, merely getting to know each other _even_ better, until they fall asleep. He would tell her his deepest desires and she would tell him her forgotten secrets.

He can lose all his inhibitions in front of her: laugh so hard that it hurts, cry if he wants to, and grow angry over things he has no business being furious.

Today, she props herself on her elbow, her blue hairs stick out in all directions and falls in her eyes, she looks sleepy yet sleep is farthest thing from their minds. She looks irresistible.

She drums her red nails on his chest and asks him in a way that he has come to recognize. She will say it casually and will try to appear nonchalant, though he knows deep down it bothers her.

"Remus, have you ever wanted me to change? I can change into _anyone_ or _however_ you want, you know... "

He thinks about her metamorphmagus abilities. For him, it has always been something that is handy to her. She never has to drink polyjuice, never has to bother about cosmetics and stuff. According to him, asking her to change into someone else is foolish notion not to mention, _insulting _and_ disrespectful_. It's like asking your spouse to drink polyjuice for your own twisted fun.

He looks her in the eye, which are serious though rest of her expression shows indifference. Finally, he answers.

"Well... There is _something_ I always wanted... you to morph..." he trails off. She looks a little uncertain and her shoulders goes rigid.

"What- what?" she asks as if fearing his answer.

"For you to morph your nails a bit bigger and scratch my head, it feels _very_ relaxing you know." he grins fully and she swats him on chest but looks relieved.

But he tells her, while smoothing her hairs affectionately, that he _always_ will prefer the way she really is. Or the way _she_ wants to be, bright hairs and all. He tells her that when he will be sixty three and she will be fifty, he would still prefer the real fifty year old Dora rather than morphed and dolled up twenty something year old, because he wants to grow old with _her_.

However a random thought occurs to him and he can't help but snigger. When she raises her eyebrows at him he shrugs and says,

"Though I must admit image of an eighty year old Dora with pink hairs is extremely eccentric."

He trusts her deeply, in a way he has never trusted anyone, trusts her enough to show his true self and yet love him anyway. Same way, she trusts him not to take her for granted.

And anyways, for him, her beauty lies in her oddities and imperfections, her heart and soul that make her who she is- _His Dora_.

He doesn't want someone primp and preen or perfect, perfect is boring; he wants his Dora- clumsy, cheerful, bright, wise, beautiful, fierce and compassionate.

Because it's her. It's _always_ been her.

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_**A/N**: I took a bit longer than usual to update this one because I was waiting for someone, **anyone**, to 'favorite' the story, because it's been **so** long since someone did. So **if** you like it, and **if** you are reading it, do favorite the fic, it would make me immensely happy along with your reviews._

_Also, thanks a ton to those who reviewed and appreciated the fic, it means a lot. :)_


	18. Goodbye

_Post-OoTP_

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_**GOODBYE**_

"You weren't even going to say goodbye, were you?"

He looks up from shuffling of his paper to see Nymphadora standing in the corner of the kitchen, looking directly at him, but he doesn't make the eye contact.

_Don't look her in the eye. Don't see her eyes._

He chants in his mind repeatedly, because _if_ he looked her in the eye, he knows he won't last long. His resolve of maintaining distance between them will perish and since the kitchen is empty, even the sense of appropriateness won't be able to stop him from approaching her. But he can see her in his periphery leaning against the wall near door, looking paler than usual and limp copper hairs framing her beautiful face.

He shrugs in answer, as if _unconcerned_, which is _farthest_ from truth; the truth is his shoulders are heavy with burden. He _can_ get up and go, meeting is long since over, but he doesn't _want_ to, because tonight he would be leaving for underground and though he has taken up the mission _voluntarily_ to avoid further excursions between them, he cannot begrudge himself for wanting to stay in proximity of the _only_ woman he has ever loved and the _only_ woman who has ever loved him, _romantically_; because god knows if he will get _another_ chance to be near her, to hear her, to see her.

"What… what… about me? You know how I feel…" he has never heard her sounding so _fragile_ and vulnerable. It takes every fiber of his being to stay where he is and not to comfort her, not to look at her. He takes a deep breath, shuffle his papers further, which do not need any more arranging, stalls for time, tries to avoid what needs to be said.

"I will be gone for… indefinite period…" he has never heard his _own_ voice sounding so constricted, so _conflicted_ "You will forget about me… will find…someone else… someone…whole." And though he will berate himself later for even thinking _so_ but deep down in his heart, he doesn't wants her to find someone else. With that he gathers his things and move at superfast speed before his desires for her chokes him.

"You are right." He pauses in his tracks, just next to her, so near that he can smell her… and it's a torture. His heart thuds painfully in his chest and he fears she will say something that will destroy him _eternally_.

He makes the mistake of looking her in the eye. Her wet eyes…looking lost, wasted and _sad_.

How his hands had twitched to hold her, _only he knows_.

"You are right." She repeats. "It's a long time… _you_ will forget about _me_."

He almost laughs. Almost. At the irony; what else has he been trying to do for the past year? If anything, intensity, depth of his love for her, has increased. It's highly unlikely, _almost impossible_, that he is going to forget her in _this_ lifetime.

He decides not to answer her, because he is afraid what will come out of his mouth in this heart rending moment. His legs feel as if made of lead, getting heavier with each step, when her even feebler voice stops him again.

"Remus…" he exhales, reminds himself to breathe. " I will be waiting… waiting for you… I will wait… and hope…someday.." she chokes on the last word and runs towards him with full force engulfing him in her arms, burying her face in his neck. He, without another thought, responds with vigor, because he _can't, can't, can't _stop himself, because Merlin knows he might not come alive out of this mission… _just one last time_…. He buries his face in her soft hairs and warm skin of her neck, forgetting for a moment that he is supposed to be discouraging her. She sobs into his neck and he takes ragged gulps of air, for some reason, has difficulty breathing. His ears are filled with sound of her whimpers, sobbing and his own ragged breathing.

He has never been held so tightly in life by someone.

He has never held someone so tightly in his life.

He wants to memorize the way she feels in his arms, he wants to gather her scent and warmth, he wants to remember the caress of her breath on his neck, he wants to treasure softness of her hairs beneath his fingers; it will be a torture for him, agony for him, when later in time he will reminisce everything about her while sitting in some cold corner of underground, but he _knows_ it will be the only thing that will keep him survive.

She suddenly leans out of him, almost pushes him, her eyes are red, not looking him in the eye and she looks frantic, distressed; he wants to scream -'_Don't go, please, please, don't go, because I'll be left alone and because I love you so so so much' _when he remembers it's _his_ decision to leave, not her's.

She succeeds in pushing him away and he watches her helplessly, stumbling away from him blindingly. The last thing he sees is her hair, fading to mousy brown.

He feels empty.

Goodbyes hurts even more, when you know, you will never be able to say hello again.

He just hopes that it's not the last goodbye.

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_Thanks to: __**Guinastasia, MAD4moony7, Silamy, eitheragodorabeast, vainintrain, Pan's Box , remusdora , Hermione Is My Role Model, Siobhan, Aiedail En Galad , pleione-x, IronLOTRgurl, Saraell.**_

_You all made me immensely happy :)_


	19. Cravings

_During DH_

_I do not own Harry Potter_

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**CRAVINGS**

He has heard quite a bit about pregnant women and their cravings; from James when Lily was pregnant, Molly once joked about it when she learned that Dora was pregnant and he himself has experienced in limited forms. Whenever he would step outside for Potterwatch or for some essential, she would ask him to bring something or the other, _if it wasn't much of a problem_.

But he hasn't yet experienced that desperation of a particular food that once James had described to him that he was often awoken for at ungodly hours of night to bring something or the other for his wife.

So here he lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come. Dora lay next to him and was tossing and turning, after every few minutes. First he had thought that she was having a nightmare, but after observing her breathing, he muses that she is probably awake.

"Can't sleep, Dora?"

In reply she crawls to his side, hugs his waist, rests her head on his shoulder and slides her leg in between his. His own arms spontaneously curl around her, one palm on her bulging stomach and other on her shoulder, enveloping her into him.

She shakes her head and replies: "Hungry."

He almost instantly props up on his elbow, ready to cook something for her to calm her hunger.

"What do you wish to eat?"

She instead pulls him back down to bed in their previous positions and mumbles dejectedly. "What I want is not at home."

He caresses her bump with his knuckles and asks what exactly it is she wants, to which she murmurs, dreamily, _chocolate donuts_ and _Olives _as if just thinking about them, her desire has increased tenfold.

It's one of those cravings he has been warned about. He pulls away from her again, half sitting on their bed a bit disconcerted, that she wants to have donuts and olives _together_, an odd combination, indeed. It is when he inquires if she wants green or black Olives that she understands his intent.

"Are you _mad_? It's _one_ in the morning; where would you wander off to find some _crazy_ food that your even _crazier_ wife craves. I did not told you, so you could stroll out in such dangerous environment; come back to bed." she orders like the stern Auror she was.

He hesitates for a moment but then leans down and kisses top of her head and replies: "_If my wife wants it, then my wife gets it_. And don't worry, I am not going to get myself killed; I swore to take care of you both and that also involves me being alive. I will be back before it's two. I promise."

And with that he hops out of the bed before she could object further. This would probably be the first case where _husband_ was insisting on getting the required food in the dead of the night while _wife_ was insisting on staying. He knew though, had it not been for the war, she wouldn't have hesitated; but right now she cared more for his safety than her cravings.

He frowned at the meager muggle notes in his hands. He had been doing some odd job in muggle London to keep providing for his family, as currently they were living on their savings, which he knows, won't last more than a year. It is one of his main concerns these days. She is pregnant and needs to eat healthy, or at least in this case, eat whatever she wishes to.

He ventures out in the cold night, leaving the refuge of the warm house. There's apprehension of someone watching him, fear of snatchers or Death Eaters, fear of not returning back to his wife _ever_.

He searches off in the muggle areas, where few bakeries or shops might open. He finally finds what he needs and sighs in relief that he has sufficient money to buy it.

He returns just before its two, as he promised. When she sees him and gives him a loving kiss and hug with a _'you are the best husband in the world'_ accompanied, it's all worth it.

He watches her fondly, savoring both things _simultaneously_ and politely declines when she offers him some. He satisfies himself with just looking at her.

He is glad that he can share these little moments with her, lucky that he can do these small things for her and privileged that only he can bring _that_ smile on her face.

It's the least he could do.

When she's quite finished, she curls up next to him snugly and this time she sleeps evenly with a small smile on her face. Seeing the smile of contentment on her face he smiles too and is able to sleep serenely.

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_A:N/ I know nothing about pregnancies and cravings!_

_Review please?_

_A tanker full of thanks to everybody who gave their feedback._

_Next update will be after few days or may be not-so-few days, as my exams are coming up. So even if I don't study, I have to at least pretend studying or worry about studying and believe me it's very time consuming._

_Thanks :)_


	20. Patronus

_During HBP_

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_**PATRONUS**_

_Tonks's Patronus has changed its form…_

Standing alone in the back garden of The Burrow, he takes a deep breath; it fills him up with smell of snow and flowers, yet it does not have the same calming effect he had expected.

His heart is still thudding rather painfully in his chest and he is sure that trembling in his hands is not _wholly_ due to cold.

Can her Patronus be a dog...? Semblance of Padfoot? He shakes his head. He had once made the mistake of assuming that she had fallen for Sirius, he wasn't making the same mistake again.

He reaches for his wand, closes his eyes and racks his brain for the _only_ memory he has been using for months, whenever confronted with a Dementor.

_He had been lying on the sofa in the library, reading in the dim light of fire; transformation had been a night before and he was dead tired. He was in a half-asleep and half-awake kind of state. Awake enough to realize what was happening around him but sleepy enough to not to act._

_His eyes were closed when he had heard her footsteps. He had known it was her… somehow. She was barefooted, he could guess because he had not heard distinct clamp of her boots. She must have thought that he had fallen asleep because after few seconds, he had felt someone in front of him, blocking light and had felt her gaze on him, felt her scent filling his nostrils. She had then continued with extra care and quite stealthy, (unlike herself) extracted the open book from his hands and had kept it aside. He had heard the rustle of quilt lying on the sofa which seconds later she had covered him with, tucking it nicely all around him. He had felt an electricity course through him wherever her touch had landed and had wondered that how she had not felt it. Next thing he knew she had bent in front of him, smoothed tenderly his hairs away from his forehead and had pressed a lingering kiss on it. Goose bumps had erupted all over his body and he once again had wondered how she had failed to notice. It had been his first-lip-to-skin-contact from her and he had felt insanely happy. She had whispered a low goodnight and had quietly walked away to which he was glad because he wasn't sure how long he would have been able to keep the blossoming smile on his face in check. He had never grinned that widely ever._

"Expecto Patronum"

A large silver wolf erupts from his wand, his Patronus that had protected him from Dementors, more like, the _memory_ that had protected him. It wasn't much; what she did could easily be taken as a friendly gesture, but for a man who dreamt about her at nights and longed to be in her company at days, such gentle and soft care was nothing short of a treasure.

After using that memory his Patronus will always be ultra bright and strong, such that Dementors will widely flinch away from it. But once the area would be Dementor free and the bright light of Patronus will fade, he would suffer an infinite void in his chest; a piercing pain in his heart and would feel as if the Dementor has succeeded _anyway_ in sucking all the happiness from him.

Is _this_ her Patronus? Something large with four legs... Is she ashamed of it like he is, of his wolfish Patronus or is she proud because she at least has some memento of her love, unlike him...

Patronus change is rare. As rare as metamorphmagi themselves are. Almost as rare as it is for a beautiful successful woman to earnestly love a broken battered werewolf.

It wasn't some forbidden infatuation or fickle attraction. Her love for him was as pure and deep as was _his_ love for _her_.

That was the day; when unknown to even Remus Lupin himself, deep down in his heart, his resolve of staying away from her had started wavering.

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_Angst coated in fluff or fluff coated in angst! Anyway, do review please! :) _


	21. Dangerous

_I Do not own Harry Potter!_

_I wrote this one in hurry so please excuse the grammar. Corrections are welcome._

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_**DANGEROUS**_

She's dangerous. She doesn't quite know, but she is. She does things to him; things that he has never felt or experienced within him.

She's dangerous when she looks at him across the table, above the rim of her glass of firewhisky, the amber liquid dancing across her eyes, making her as intoxicating as the alcohol itself, because then the world fades away for him and all he wants to do at _that_ moment is to kiss right on her pink lips and leave her breathless.

She's not good for his health. She makes his heart race at an unnatural pace, whenever she gets _too_ close to him. All he wants to do is encase her in his arms and never let go.

She distracts him. As much as he enjoys going on missions with her, she addles him. When he is supposed to be on a watch, he gets distracted by how beautiful she looks in the pale light of moon. Moon, which he has always hated, but it always increases her beauty tenfold. At these moments, he forgets, what is he _exactly_ supposed to be observing- Death Eaters or her?

The way his hand twitches when one lone colorful strand of hair falls across her face. All he ever wants is to trace contours of her face, to touch that silky pale skin of her neck, to kiss her those delicate wrists...

Her touch is angelic and divine. Light and accidental brushes of skin to skin, always bring reactions from him that should be considered indecent for a man of his age.

Their first kiss makes him feel as if that had been the sole purpose of his existence.

He had been glad that he had mastered the facial expression of calm and mild tranquility, glad that his feelings were not betrayed by his features. The only thing he has ever had control over is his emotions, but _oh_ how often Nymphadora Tonks makes that control go to hell!

He is afraid of the lengths that he would go for her happiness. He had almost sacrificed his potential paradise for _her_ long term joy and peace. He had wanted to give up the only person who had ever loved him dearly, whom he had ever loved dearly. He was in awe by strength of his _own_ love for her, when he had emptied his meager and only savings of his Gringotts account without a second thought to buy a decent ring for her.

There had been so many other precious beautiful things in that shop. Things that she deserved; diamonds, gold, jewellery. Things had he was sure he could only afford if he sold his kidney or something. But something told him that she wouldn't appreciate much the thought of an incapacitate husband...

But he had been proud of the ring he had bought for her; thin gold band with a tiny diamond in centre. It had been the most expensive thing he had _ever_ bought in his life, and it had amazed him that he had bought it for someone else, yet, the most precious thing about it had been when her eyes had glazed over when he had put it on her finger.

He had always wanted to marry her. Since the day he had realized that he was in love with her, though he had never thought that it would be possible. It was always in front of his mind, though he would never have the audacity to ask her. Yet after spending a night with her in his arms, on her sofa (fully clothed) he had found himself whispering 'marry me' in her ear in the early hours of the morning...

No matter how much he later said he regretted marrying her, he can never _really_ regret it; never really regret the happiness she brings into his life...

The first time he makes love to her, on their wedding night, he almost gets tears in his eyes, at the end, because of the unadulterated perfection of it. Because he had been under the impression that it was almost impossible to love her more than he already did, but somehow sharing this kind of intimacy with her, his feelings crossed all the barriers of depth.

She is dangerous because she makes him forget all the risk, makes him _bugger_ the world and just treasure each other.

She's dangerous, deadly, dynamite and delicate because really, he would do _anything_ for her.

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_Please favorite the story if you like the fic or review!_

_Thanks to-** the394thdauntlesscake, Hermione Is My Role Model, remusdora , f3y-chan!**_

_**Guest**- I would definitely think about your idea :)_

_**Guinastasia**- and here I was thinking to keep it up to 25 chapters. But I am so glad you like it :)_


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